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>>> WELCOME BACK TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK."
NEWSDESK." I'M JOE HREN.
I'M JOE HREN. A BILL THAT'S HEADED TOWARD
A BILL THAT'S HEADED TOWARD BECOMING LAW IN INDIANA
BECOMING LAW IN INDIANA LEGALIZES THE PRODUCTION OF
LEGALIZES THE PRODUCTION OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP.
INDUSTRIAL HEMP. IT'S A PLANT THAT'S LIKELY BEST
IT'S A PLANT THAT'S LIKELY BEST KNOWN FOR BEING RELATED TO
KNOWN FOR BEING RELATED TO MARIJUANA, BUT IT DOESN'T
MARIJUANA, BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE HALLUCINATION
INCLUDE HALLUCINATION PROPERTIES.
PROPERTIES. HEMP ADVOCATES SAY IT COULD BE
HEMP ADVOCATES SAY IT COULD BE AN ECONOMIC BOONE TO THE STATE
AN ECONOMIC BOONE TO THE STATE BUT AS GRETCHEN FRAZEE REPORTS,
BUT AS GRETCHEN FRAZEE REPORTS, THERE ARE STILL SOME ROADBLOCKS
THERE ARE STILL SOME ROADBLOCKS TO HEMP BECOMING A LOCAL
TO HEMP BECOMING A LOCAL COMMODITY.
COMMODITY. >> BOB BACKUS HAS GROWN TOBACCO
>> BOB BACKUS HAS GROWN TOBACCO MOST OF HIS LIFE BUT IT'S NOT AS
MOST OF HIS LIFE BUT IT'S NOT AS ACCEPTED AS IT WAS SIX YEARS
ACCEPTED AS IT WAS SIX YEARS AGO.
AGO. >> OBVIOUSLY HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
>> OBVIOUSLY HEALTH IMPLICATIONS WITH TOBACCO.
WITH TOBACCO. I THINK MOST OF US ADMIT THAT.
I THINK MOST OF US ADMIT THAT. THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND A LOT
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND A LOT OF ASPECTS OF THE WORLD TODAY.
OF ASPECTS OF THE WORLD TODAY. >> THE CHANGING PUBLIC OPINION
>> THE CHANGING PUBLIC OPINION COMBINED WITH HIGH LABOR COSTS
COMBINED WITH HIGH LABOR COSTS AND A CHANGING GLOBAL MARKET HAS
AND A CHANGING GLOBAL MARKET HAS PUT A DENT IN TOBACCO
PUT A DENT IN TOBACCO PRODUCTION.
PRODUCTION. TOBACCO FARMERS IN THE U.S. MADE
TOBACCO FARMERS IN THE U.S. MADE A COMBINED $3 BILLION IN THE
A COMBINED $3 BILLION IN THE EARLY 1990s.
EARLY 1990s. IN 2012, THEY MADE ONLY HALF
IN 2012, THEY MADE ONLY HALF THAT.
THAT. >> WE'RE ALWAYS TEMPERATURE TO
>> WE'RE ALWAYS TEMPERATURE TO OTHER OPTIONS, OTHER
OTHER OPTIONS, OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
ALTERNATIVES. >> SO FAR BACKUS HAS TRIED
>> SO FAR BACKUS HAS TRIED SEVERAL MEASURES INCLUDING
SEVERAL MEASURES INCLUDING CUTTING BACK ON THE NUMBER OF
CUTTING BACK ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HE HIRES AND PLANTING
PEOPLE HE HIRES AND PLANTING RADISHES IN THE OFF-SEASON TO
RADISHES IN THE OFF-SEASON TO HELP REVITALIZE THE SOIL SO HE
HELP REVITALIZE THE SOIL SO HE DOESN'T HAVE TO BUY AS MUCH
DOESN'T HAVE TO BUY AS MUCH FERTILIZER, BUT THE CONTINUING
FERTILIZER, BUT THE CONTINUING DECLINE IN THE MARKET IS MAKING
DECLINE IN THE MARKET IS MAKING HIM SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT GIVING
HIM SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT GIVING UP ON TOBACCO ALL TOGETHER AND
UP ON TOBACCO ALL TOGETHER AND SWITCHING TO A CROP THAT IN MOST
SWITCHING TO A CROP THAT IN MOST STATES IS BANNED, HEMP.
STATES IS BANNED, HEMP. IN 1937, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
IN 1937, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE GROWING HEMP ILLEGAL,
MADE GROWING HEMP ILLEGAL, EXCEPT IN SPECIAL CASES.
EXCEPT IN SPECIAL CASES. AS PART OF A NATIONAL EFFORT TO
AS PART OF A NATIONAL EFFORT TO CRACK DOWN ON THE HALLUCINOGENIC
CRACK DOWN ON THE HALLUCINOGENIC COUSIN, MARIJUANA.
COUSIN, MARIJUANA. BUT UNLIKE MARIJUANA, HEMP WAS
BUT UNLIKE MARIJUANA, HEMP WAS USED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF
USED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS FROM BIOFUELS AND
PRODUCTS FROM BIOFUELS AND PAPER, TO CLOTHING AND PLASTIC
PAPER, TO CLOTHING AND PLASTIC CAR PARTS.
CAR PARTS. IT WAS SO VERSATILE, IN FACT,
IT WAS SO VERSATILE, IN FACT, THAT DURING WORLD WAR II, THE
THAT DURING WORLD WAR II, THE U.S. ACTUALLY ENCOURAGED PEOPLE
U.S. ACTUALLY ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO GROW HEMP AS A WAY TO SUPPORT
TO GROW HEMP AS A WAY TO SUPPORT THE WAR EFFORT.
THE WAR EFFORT. >> A DENSE AND SHADY CROP, HEMP
>> A DENSE AND SHADY CROP, HEMP STAMPS OUT THE WEEDS.
STAMPS OUT THE WEEDS. >> HEMP WAS BANNED IN THE
>> HEMP WAS BANNED IN THE 1970s AS PART OF THE
1970s AS PART OF THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT.
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT. THE ORIGINAL CRACKDOWN WAS MORE
THE ORIGINAL CRACKDOWN WAS MORE ABOUT PROTECTING THE OIL AND
ABOUT PROTECTING THE OIL AND TIMBER BARRENS THA BARONS THAN T
TIMBER BARRENS THA BARONS THAN T DRUGS.
DRUGS. >> IT WAS REALLY A CRIME THAT IT
>> IT WAS REALLY A CRIME THAT IT WAS EVER MADE ILLEGAL.
WAS EVER MADE ILLEGAL. >> STATE SENATOR RICHARD YOUNG
>> STATE SENATOR RICHARD YOUNG AUTHORIZED THE BILL.
AUTHORIZED THE BILL. HE SAYS HEMP COULD BEING THE
HE SAYS HEMP COULD BEING THE NEXT CASH CROP, ESPECIALLY FOR
NEXT CASH CROP, ESPECIALLY FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA WHERE IT USED
SOUTHERN INDIANA WHERE IT USED TO GROW IN THE 1940s BUT
TO GROW IN THE 1940s BUT THERE'S A CATCH.
THERE'S A CATCH. >> IT'S DEPENDING ON WHAT
>> IT'S DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
HAPPENS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. WE ARE NOT BRANCHING OUT AND
WE ARE NOT BRANCHING OUT AND SAYING THAT WE ARE DEFYING
SAYING THAT WE ARE DEFYING FEDERAL LAW.
FEDERAL LAW. >> EARLIER THIS YEAR, CONGRESS
>> EARLIER THIS YEAR, CONGRESS DID LOOSEN THE FEDERAL BAN ON
DID LOOSEN THE FEDERAL BAN ON HEMP AS PAY THE OF THE FARM
HEMP AS PAY THE OF THE FARM BILL, UNIVERSITIES AND STATE STE
BILL, UNIVERSITIES AND STATE STE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE ARE
DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE ARE NOW ALLOWED TO GROW HEMP IF THE
NOW ALLOWED TO GROW HEMP IF THE INDUSTRIAL HEMP IS GROWN OR
INDUSTRIAL HEMP IS GROWN OR CULTIVATED FOR PURPOSES OF
CULTIVATED FOR PURPOSES OF RESEARCH, CONDUCTED UNDER AN
RESEARCH, CONDUCTED UNDER AN AGRICULTURAL PILOT PROGRAM AND
AGRICULTURAL PILOT PROGRAM AND THE GROWING OR CULTIVATING OF
THE GROWING OR CULTIVATING OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP IS ALLOWED UNDER
INDUSTRIAL HEMP IS ALLOWED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE.
THE LAWS OF THE STATE. SO FAR NINE STATES HAVE LAWS
SO FAR NINE STATES HAVE LAWS ALLOWING HEMP PRODUCTION, AND
ALLOWING HEMP PRODUCTION, AND SEVERAL MORE ARE CONSIDERING
SEVERAL MORE ARE CONSIDERING LEGALIZING IT.
LEGALIZING IT. ONCE MORE RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED,
ONCE MORE RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED, HEMP ADVOCATES HOPE THE FEDERAL
HEMP ADVOCATES HOPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL LEGALIZE HEMP
GOVERNMENT WILL LEGALIZE HEMP PRODUCTION ON A LARGER SCALE.
PRODUCTION ON A LARGER SCALE. >> I THINK IT'S JUST A LITTLE
>> I THINK IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT SLOWER MOVING ON THE FEDERAL
BIT SLOWER MOVING ON THE FEDERAL AREA, JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE
AREA, JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IS, AND -- BUT IN THE MEANTIME,
IS, AND -- BUT IN THE MEANTIME, STATES ARE TAKING THE LEAD AND
STATES ARE TAKING THE LEAD AND PREPARING THEMSELVES SO THAT AS
PREPARING THEMSELVES SO THAT AS THE FARM BILL IS IMPLEMENTED BY
THE FARM BILL IS IMPLEMENTED BY THE USDA AND AS WE MOVE ON WITH
THE USDA AND AS WE MOVE ON WITH THIS, THAT THEY WILL BE IN A
THIS, THAT THEY WILL BE IN A GOOD PLACE AND BE READY TO
GOOD PLACE AND BE READY TO IMPLEMENT THOSE MEASURES.
IMPLEMENT THOSE MEASURES. >> AND THERE'S THE QUESTION OF
>> AND THERE'S THE QUESTION OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
SUPPLY AND DEMAND. HEMP AND HEMP-BASED PRODUCTS
HEMP AND HEMP-BASED PRODUCTS SUCH AS TEXTILES, LOTIONS AND
SUCH AS TEXTILES, LOTIONS AND FOODS CAN BE LEGALLY IMPORTED.
FOODS CAN BE LEGALLY IMPORTED. SO THERE IS DEMAND.
SO THERE IS DEMAND. SO FAR, THAT DEMAND HAS REMAINED
SO FAR, THAT DEMAND HAS REMAINED FAIRLY SMALL.
FAIRLY SMALL. >> SO FARMERS ARE VERY CAUTIOUS
>> SO FARMERS ARE VERY CAUTIOUS TO GO OUT WITHOUT A MARK.
TO GO OUT WITHOUT A MARK. THEY NEED THAT GUARANTEE AND
THEY NEED THAT GUARANTEE AND THAT ASSURANCE THAT THERE'S
THAT ASSURANCE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE INCOME AND A
GOING TO BE INCOME AND A CONTRACT IN PLACE.
CONTRACT IN PLACE. SO WITHOUT THAT, THEY ARE SLOW
SO WITHOUT THAT, THEY ARE SLOW MOVING.
MOVING. >> BACK AT HIS FARM, BACKUS SAYS
>> BACK AT HIS FARM, BACKUS SAYS IF THERE ENDS UP BEING ENOUGH
IF THERE ENDS UP BEING ENOUGH DEMAN, HE WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO
DEMAN, HE WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO GROW HEMP, EVEN IF IT MEANS
GROW HEMP, EVEN IF IT MEANS DEVELOP TO PUT UP WITH ROUTINE
DEVELOP TO PUT UP WITH ROUTINE INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE HE'S
INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE HE'S NOT GROWING MARIJUANA.
NOT GROWING MARIJUANA. >> TOBACCO IS A GOOD CROP FROM A
>> TOBACCO IS A GOOD CROP FROM A GROSS INCOME STANDPOINT, NOT
GROSS INCOME STANDPOINT, NOT ALWAYS A NET INCOME STANDPOINT.
ALWAYS A NET INCOME STANDPOINT. SO HEMP MAY VERY WELL HAVE A
SO HEMP MAY VERY WELL HAVE A MUCH LOWER INCOME PER ACRE, BUT
MUCH LOWER INCOME PER ACRE, BUT WITH THE -- BASICALLY BEING ALL
WITH THE -- BASICALLY BEING ALL AUTOMATED AND NO HAND LABOR,
AUTOMATED AND NO HAND LABOR, MANUAL LABOR INVOLVED, THEN THE
MANUAL LABOR INVOLVED, THEN THE NORTNET INCOME IS SOMETHING THAT
NORTNET INCOME IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL AND
COULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL AND SOMETHING ENTICING TO US.
SOMETHING ENTICING TO US. >> THE HEMP BILL IS HEADING TO A
>> THE HEMP BILL IS HEADING TO A CONFERENCE